1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to mounting apparatuses, and more particularly to a mounting apparatus for securing a heat dissipation module to a circuit board and allowing the heat dissipation module and the circuit board being packed together during transportation.
2. Description of Related Art
In computer systems, certain electronic components such as central processing units (CPUs) generate large amounts of heat during their normal operation. The heat must be quickly removed to prevent the CPUs from becoming overheated and damaged. Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, a thermal module 72 is attached to a CPU 70 superimposed on a socket 78 of a circuit board 76 to facilitate dissipation of heat generated by the CPU 70. A thermal interface material such as a layer of thermal grease 74 is evenly spread on a bottom of the thermal module 72 and adjoins a top surface of the CPU 70 to create a low resistance thermal path for dissipation of heat.
However, when computer systems are transported by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to their customers, thermal modules and circuit boards are typically separately packed and transported to customers because there are protective covers covering the thermal grease spread on the thermal modules and the sockets on the circuit boards which prevent the thermal modules from being attached to the circuit boards. Therefore, packing and transportation costs for the thermal modules and the circuit boards are high.
What is desired, therefore, is a mounting apparatus which firmly secures a thermal module to a circuit board and allows the thermal module and the circuit board being packed together during transportation.